Kalanchoe plant named ‘Forever Maxi Red’

ABSTRACT

A new Kalanchoe cultivar named ‘Forever Maxi Red’ characterized by its large scarlet colored flowers, almost-rounded petals, semi-mounded growth habit and excellent lateral and basal branching.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofKalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and knownby the cultivar name ‘Forever Maxi Red’. ‘Forever Maxi Red’ wasdeveloped in a controlled breeding program in Ashtabula, Ohio bycrossing Mikkelsen Seedling No. 92-389-1 (seed parent) (unpatented) withMikkelsen Seedling 91-201-2 (pollen parent) (unpatented). The seed andpollen parents are proprietary breeding lines which have not been soldor made publicly available in this country. The plant is perennial buttypically used as an annual in the floriculture industry.

Asexual reproduction by stem cuttings taken by the inventor in Lompoc,Calif. has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe arestabilized and are reproduced true to type in successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish the new Kalanchoe from [bothits parent varieties and] other cultivated Kalanchoes of this type knownto the inventor. The characteristics are described with comparativereference to the cultivars Arjuno (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,485) andTenorio (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,617).

1. ‘Forever Maxi Red’ has scarlet colored flowers of Red Group 46B while‘Arjuno’ has lighter scarlet colored flowers of Red Group 46C and‘Tenorio’ has crimson colored flowers of Red Group 45A.

2. ‘Forever Maxi Red’ has better basal and lateral branching than either‘Arjuno’ and ‘Tenorio’ and has breaks to soil line while ‘Arjuno’ and‘Tenorio’ have nodes near soil line without breaks.

3. ‘Forever Maxi Red’ has larger flowers at 18 mm in diameter while‘Arjuno’ and ‘Tenorio’ each have 15 mm in diameter flowers.

4. ‘Forever Maxi Red’ has a wider, almost round petal at 7 mm wide and 9mm long than ‘Tenorio’ which has a narrow petal 5 mm wide and 7 mm longwhile ‘Arjuno’ is intermediate at 6 mm wide and 7 mm long.

5. ‘Forever Maxi Red’ is earlier to flower with a 8.5 to 9 week responsetime while ‘Arjuno’ has a 10 week response time and ‘Tenorio’ a 10.5week response time.

6. ‘Forever Maxi Red’ has a cyme inflorescence with ‘Arjuno’ having acompound umbel and ‘Tenorio’ having characteristics of both types.

7. ‘Forever Maxi Red’ has leaves that are similar in length to ‘Arjuno’at 9 to 10 cm but ‘Arjuno’ leaves are narrower at 4.5 to 5 cm comparedto 6.0 to 6.5 cm wide of ‘Forever Maxi Red’. ‘Tenorio’ has smallerleaves at 7 to 8 cm long and 4.5 to 5 cm wide.

8. ‘Forever Maxi Red’ has a denser flower cluster than ‘Arjuno’ and‘Tenorio’ which are each more open in habit.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof this cultivar, as described in detail below, taken as a face view ofthe plant and showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible toobtain in a colored reproduction of this type.

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar, based onplants produced in greenhouses in Lompoc, Calif. during the Winterseason of the year. Plants were grown in 10 cm pots and measurementswere taken 13 weeks after rooted cuttings were planted. Heightmeasurements were taken from the soil line of the container. The plantswere grown at 16° C. night temperatures, 3000-4000 foot candles oflight, and 200 ppm nitrogen, 75 ppm potassium, and 200 ppm phosphorousnutritional levels, with trace elements added. Habit of growth,foliagecoloration, size of leaves, and peduncle length will be greatlyinfluenced by nutritional and environmental conditions.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

Parentage: A controlled cross between female parent Mikkelsen SeedlingNo. 92-389-1 and male parent Mikkelsen Seedling No. 91-201-2.

Propagation:

(A) Type cutting.—Stem tip cuttings up to 3 cm long.

(B) Time to root.—10 days at 21° C. summer; 12 days at 21° C. winter.

(C) Rooting habit.—Fine, fibrous, abundant.

Plant description:

Habit and form of growth.—Semi-tall, semi-mounded, excellent basalbranching; flower clusters bloom above foliage. Environment and use ofgrowth regulators will play a role in final height. Average height is 25cm and average width is 30 cm. Internode length is typically 15 mm. Mainstem diameter is 10 mm, stem texture is smooth, glabrous, and stem coloris Yellow-Green Group 147A.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple and opposite. Leaves are petiolateand petioles are Yellow-Green Group 147A having a length of 14 mm andwidth of 5 mm. Size: Average, full grown leaves on a plant when grown ina 10 cm pot are 9 to 10 cm long and 6 to 6.5 cm wide. Shape: Ovate withobtuse apex and acute base. Texture: Glabrous; coriaceous and succulent.Margin: Crennate; shallow lobed. Color: Young foliage top side is GreenGroup 137A, underside is Yellow-Green Group 146B; mature foliage topside is Yellow-Green Group 147A, underside is Yellow-Green Group 147B.

Branching.—Average number of lateral branches is 8. The average lateralbranch length is 20 cm and average lateral branch diameter is 5 mm. Thebranch texture is smooth, glabrous, and color is Yellow-Green Group147A.

Flowering description:

Flowering habits.—Inflorescence is a compound dichasial cyme. Terminalflower on main axis opens first followed by the terminal flowers of theside branches, continuing with the subsequent development of branches inthe inflorescence. Inflorescence is made up of the main stem and up to 8or more lateral branches depending on growing schedule followed.

Natural flowering season.—Early January. Flowering time under controlleddaylength (10 hours daylight, 14 hours darkness) at 20° C. in summer is8.5 to 9 weeks; in winter is 10.0 to 10.5 weeks. Flowering time dependson temperature, light intensity and other growing conditions.

Flower buds.—Oblong up to 12 mm long before showing color, developing totubular as flower petals mature; sheathed in four (4) sepals coloredYellow-Green Group 144A. Sepals are individual with a lanceolate shape.Sepals are 8 mm long and 2 mm wide.

Flowers borne.—Compound dichasial cyme with primary peduncle being 3 mmin diameter just below the first branch of the inflorescence; length ofpeduncle will vary depending on growing conditions. The average numberof peduncles is 10 with an average length of 15 cm, average diameter of5 mm, smooth, glabrous texture, and Yellow-Green Group 147A color. Theaverage number of pedicels is 250 with an average length of 3 mm,average diameter of 1 mm, smooth, glabrous texture, and Yellow-GreenGroup 147A color. Pedicels vary in length depending on where they are inthe inflorescence. Flowers 18 mm in diameter.

Quantity of flowers.—Numerous flowers on the main stem plus the 8 ormore lateral branches will have 30 or more flowers each. Approximatetime period for bloom lastingness is 4 to 6 weeks. The florets are flatin shape.

Petals.—Shape: Almost rounded, top cuspidate. Color: Top side whenopening is Red Group 45D fading to Red Group 46B. Underside is OrangeGroup 24D. Number of petals: 4. Size: Individual petals 7 mm wide and 9mm long.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: 8 in number, with an average size of 3 mmnot fused to the petal. Anthers: Flat, elliptical in shape, yellow-greenin color. Filament color: Yellow-green. Pollen: Abundant, yellow.Pistils: Average of 4 per flower with an average size of 12 mm. Stigma:Flat in shape, mature color is white. Style color: Light green. Ovaries:4 in number, size is 6 mm when immature, green color.

Fertility.—The plants are fertile, but do not normally set seed undergreenhouse or garden conditions, unless in a controlled crossingprogram.

Disease resistance: ‘Forever Maxi Red’ has shown resistance to powderlymildew. No disease problems have been observed to date.

OTHER IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS

1. Semi-tall growth habit combined with good lateral and basal branchingallows cultivar to be finished in a 15 cm pot from one cutting insteadof the normal 3 cuttings.

2. Excellent flower coverage on upper half of plant due to excellentlateral and basal branching.

3. No or minimum amount of growth regulators needed.

4. Pinching is not required or recommended.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named‘Forever Maxi Red’, as illustrated and described.